Process of and apparatus for manufacture of gas



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J. J. KIRKHAM. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFAGTURE 0P GAS. No. 543,992. Patented Aug. 6,1895.

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J. J. KIRKHAM. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUSIQR MANUFACTURE OF GAS. No. 543,992.- Patented Aug.6,1895.

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3 Sheets -Sheet 3. J. J. KIRKHAM.

I PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF-GAS Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

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PATENT PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,992, dated August 6, 1895.

Application filed September 6, 1894. Serial No. 522,275- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. KIRKHAM, a resident of Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to the manufacture of oilgas, and has for its object increased economy and efficiencyof the means employed; and it consists in the improvements in the art and apparatus herein described and particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section. elevation, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken immediately below the arched tops of the regeuerators and shows a modification in respect to the situation of oil-burners.

Numerals 2 denote two preferably-cylindrical structurescontaining loose refractory material 3, provided with suitable connections and appliances and adapted to be used as gasgenerators,heat-regenerators, or superheaters. In the present instance the refractory material consists of open brickwork sustained upon perforatedarches 4. Situated above the open brickwork are combustion-chambers 5, which may communicate with the open air through escape-fines 6.

7 denotes covers for said escape-fines. 8 are oil-inlet pipes having discharge nozzles to spray oil into the chambers above the open brickwork, and 9 indicates conduits adapted to permit gas to flow from the respective superheaters or chambers 2 to a drop-pipe 10, which pipe terminates below the water level in a water-seal box 11.

12 denotes dampers in said conduits or pipes 9.

The water-seal box is provided with a gaspipe leading to scrubbers and holder or to a furnace and with water-supplying and overflow pipes, as usual.

13 denotes an air-pipe, and 14. a steam-jet to induce an air-current through said pipe, which air-pipe also terminates below the water level of the seal, as shown.

Below the arches 4 of the regenerators are Fig. 2 is a side chambers which communicate through fiues 15'with a stack 16. 17 denotes a cover for said stack, and 18 a steam-pipe to induce draft .therein. v

19 indicates an air-containing jacket surrounding the stack and communicating at its bottom with an air-inlet pipe 20.

At 21 are conduits by which the air-chamber inclosed by the jacket 19 communicates with oil-burners. 22 are dampers for controlling the amountof air passedtherethrough. 24. denote air-inducing steam-j ets, and 25 pipes to supply oil to the burners.

Exact relative dimensions are not illustrated and the improvement is not dependent upon particular dimensions. A height of fourteen feet and a diameter of five feet are suitable for the generators.

In beginning an operation an initial heat is secured by burning any suitable fuel in the combustion chambers, the covers or valves 7, 22, and 17 being open and the draft-inducing steam-jet 18 in use, whereby the hot products are drawn down through the refractory material and into and up the stack to heat up said brickwork and also the refractory lin ing of the stack. This initialheating requires about thirty-five minutes. After the appara- .tus has been thus once heated up and used for a gas-making run, oil will be automatically ignitedwhen supplied to the burners to reheat the apparatus, and such reheating occupies about six minutes. The apparatus being heated or reheated, as stated, the valves '7, 22, and-17 are closed and the steam out off in pipe 18 and, steam and oil being cut off from the burners, oil is sprayed into one of the highlyheated chambers 5 above the open brickwork in one generator, and vaporized and superheated or fixed While it is drawn down through said generator and up through the other on its way to and through the waterseal. The apparatus can be operated, as stated, about six minutes, whereupon it is desirable to reheat it by the use of the oil-burners, as before set forth. After such reheating oil is again sprayed, vaporized, and superheated and the resulting gas-passed through the seal and diluted as before, except that its course through the brickwork is reversed,

the oil being for this purpose sprayed in the top of the generator opposite that first used. This gas so made and diluted may be drawn or forced through the apparatus and seal to scrubbers, holders, or furnaces by any suitable means. The course of the gas is down through one generator, up through the other, and thence out through a conduit 9 to and down through the drop-pipe to the seal. Simultaneously with the passing of the gas through the seal hot air is also passed through the Water therein by means of the steam airinducing pipe 14. Itis thereby mingled asa diluent with the oil-gas. In heating up, if it is desired to use gasoline or light oil distillates in gas-making, the two masses of refractory material may be equally heated; but, as the oil is subsequently sprayed and vaporized in one and this vapor superheated or fixed in the other, an unequal amount of heat is carried out of the same, and the operation when repeated is reversed in its order of using the generators for the purpose of maintaining approximatelyeven and regular degrees of heat therein, and for the further purpose of burning out the carbon deposit which may exist in that regenerator which is made the cooler by the introduction of the fresh charge of gasoline or the like. This latter function is also of special importance in the case of the use of crude oils, for which the apparatus is mainly intended.

The stack is provided with a refractory lining to absorb heat. Italso protects the metal shell which surrounds it from the direct impact of the hot gases. The refractory lining radiates heat freely to its air-envelope and this is utilized in the different stages of the operation, as specified. To insure a strong draftnotwithstanding the cooling of the stack by this air-heating operation a stea-mjet may be employed, as set forth.

I am aware that gas apparatus provided with means for introducing fuel and combos tion below the regeuerators and also with pipes for separately introducing oil, steam, gas, vapor, or air, for treatment or use in gas making, in chambers above the brickwork of the regeuerators has been proposed. I do not claim apparatus which does not contemplate the combustion of oil above the regeuerators and has no provision for introducing air and oil-spray intermingled and in condition to suitably burn. For the production of suitable combustion and an efficient degree of heat, what is known as an air and oil mixing burner, such as herein described, is essential, for the reason that separate oil and air-supply pipes, particularly if they are not contiguous, could only contribute to an incomplete combustion, practically useless for heating a regenerator and sure to clog it with carbonaceous deposits.

Having thus described my improvement, what I claim is 1. In an oil gas apparatus two regeuerators supplied with refractory material, fines 15 communicating with the regeuerators at their bottom and with a common stack 16, a combustion chamber 5 in each regenerator above the brickwork, oil burners having air supplying devices adapted to spray the oil and blend air and oil to produce combustion in said chambers, distinct oil pipes to supply oil independently of the burners to said chambers and regeuerators, gas pipes 9 each having a valve 12 and connecting the upper parts of the regenerators with a common seal or holder, a valve 17 in the Smokestack adapted to prevent escape of gas from lines 15, and means for diluting the gas after it passes out of the regenerators, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, two regeuerators each containing open refractory material, and having a combustion chamber above said material, a conduit by which their lower parts communicate, a stack to conduct products of combustion from said conduit, oil and air mixing burners adapted to spray the oil and blend it with air to heat the said chambers situated near the tops of the regenerators,independent oil pipes to supply oil to the heated chambers, gas pipes leading from the tops of the regeuerators to a water seal, suitable valves, and an air pipe leading from a hot-air chamber to the said seal box, substantially as set forth.

3. The art of making gas which consists in vaporizing oil, superheating the vapor by itself thereby converting the same into a fixed gas,passing such superheated gas through the water in a water seal and simultaneously introd ucing hot air below the water level in the same seal and thereby diluting the heated oil gas with heated air, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the regeuerators each having a combustion chamber, the stack provided with an air jacket, and means for supplying heated air from within said jacket to the said chambers, a Water seal, an air conduit 13 leading from said jacket, and a gas pipe leading from a regenerator, both the air conduit and the gas pipe dipping below the water level in said seal, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination two regeuerators each containing open refractory material, and having a combustion chamber above said mate rial, a conduit by which their lower parts communicate, a stack to conduct products of combustion from said conduit, an air-heating jacket for the stack, oil and air mixing burners to heat said chambers situated near the top of the regeuerators, air conduits for conveying heated air from the jacket to the burners, independent oil pipes to supply oil to the heated chambers, gas pipes and hot air pipes adapted to mingle air with the gas in the main, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN J. KIRKIIAM.

Witnesses:

GEORGE B. GERDINK, JAMES E. PIETY. 

